News today from Kodak

[Ken Nadvornick]

Harman's execs sure did...

Ken

 

[lxdude]

Cash cows rarely get r & d investments.

The films are so good these days they can go a long distance without further R&D. Though I hope they do get it so they can be improved further. But I'm happy to just see them in production, and if they are much the same 20 years from now, OK by me.

 

[AgX]

This article at least says they plan to hire new execs and run the biz for cash flow, not just sell it off:

http://pdnpulse.com/2013/04/kodak-turns-over-film-division-to-its-uk-pension-plan.html

So far (to be fair, just based on my knowledge....) noone wanted to buy the resting halide based manufacturing.
The market-value of these plants is thus zero.

How could a new owner succeed in trying to sell them after Kodak failed?


Of course those plants are still of value to the owner. That value would be less than the expected profits to be made over the time the plant still lasts or the market is still in existence.

But in this all we must not forget that the new owner is not a buyer who was free to decide to buy something for profit but a creditor who took what was offered.

 

[Ian Grant]

PE:

But some of those execs actually:

1) know the value of those who run a coating machine or make emulsions;
2) can get those who run a coating machine or make emulsions the things they need; and
3) know how to market the results!

That's the key to making improvements. We need a healthy Kodak film & paper company as it boosts confidence as a whole in the rest of the market.

They need to get film on shelves again more widely around the world.

Ian

 

[zsas]

You dingbats! An exec never ran a coating machine nor made an emulsion! Get real!

PE

Things can change! Footnote, there's some great CEOs out there that did start in the mail room or other great success routes (eg Jack Welch comes to mind...), here's a few more...
http://images.businessweek.com/slideshows/2012-06-26/bootstrap-ceos

Regardless, I've grand hopes for the new leadership. I will write in you in as VP & Chief Film Evangelist, kind of like Google did with Vint Cerf making him Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist
Vint Cerf, "Father of the Internet":
http://research.google.com/pubs/author32412.html

 

[wblynch]

Jack Welch started this whole mess. No hero there.

 

[zsas]

Only talking about CEOs background not their actions...

 

[cdkrenzer]

Think us remaining Kodak-fans need to drop a print in the mail to the new owners as a show of support

I did some Googling and turned up the Kodak UK Pension Board's address, see link below. I think I've a print shot of Tri-X and printed on Ektalure that I gotta send their way, might as well congratulate em and plant a bug in their ear that if they've the time to maybe coat a few boxes or two of Ektalure ever so often...

https://www.hartlinkonline.co.uk/kodak/hopl.chi/wui/contusui.html?hopsess=a1ba2210d88eba8311e2676968efcf0a

Colleen, the above link for the new owners?

Another great way to show support is to buy film

 

[Photo Engineer]

PE:

But some of those execs actually:

1) know the value of those who run a coating machine or make emulsions;
2) can get those who run a coating machine or make emulsions the things they need; and
3) know how to market the results!

Matt;

Most all of those people are gone due to declining sales. They moved elsewhere or did other things. So, as noted in another post, Harman did this RIF (Reduction In Force) in a more reasonable manner. Seems Kodak has let go the best of the best.

And yes, I agree with you to a point, but when all of your manages are bean counters or those who never new or cared about film, your arguments go out the window.

PE

 

[cdkrenzer]

Matt;

Most all of those people are gone due to declining sales. They moved elsewhere or did other things. So, as noted in another post, Harman did this RIF (Reduction In Force) in a more reasonable manner. Seems Kodak has let go the best of the best.

And yes, I agree with you to a point, but when all of your manages are bean counters or those who never new or cared about film, your arguments go out the window.

PE

An article that might shed some light. http://www.bjp-online.com/british-j...film-business-sells-it-to-its-uk-pension-plan

 

[CRhymer]

That is an interesting link to the BJP, but I wonder if the statement at the beginning of paragraph six, "Kodak also expects the deal will enable Kodak's film business to strive." is a real howler or if it is what the author really means.

Cheers,
Clarence

 

[railwayman3]

Harman's execs sure did...

Ken

I think that you will find that Harman's execs/directors had all been with the old Ilford company, and were well experienced in their respective fields. The old UK Ilford company appears to have failed through being loaded with overheads from other non-analog parts of the business, while the buyout stripped the company of these and allowed it to concentrate on its present range of products. These are produced at the same Mobberley plant as before, with, SFAIK, no break in production and no doubt with many of the same staff.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

Another great way to show support is to buy film

Agreed.

My favorite* Kodak b&w film is Plus-X. My second favorite is Panatomic-X. And my favorite Kodak color film (and favorite Kodak product of all time) is—what else?—Kodachrome.

I'm ready to buy today...

Ken

* These are lifetime favorites. Since I was a teenager. I'm now nearing retirement...

 

[Roger Cole]

FP4+, Pan F+ respectively and...uh...well there's nothing even remotely close to Kodachrome anymore.

And of course those others don't exactly support Kodak. I do love TMY-2 and TXT though.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Agreed.

My favorite* Kodak b&w film is Plus-X. My second favorite is Panatomic-X. And my favorite Kodak color film (and favorite Kodak product of all time) is—what else?—Kodachrome.

I'm ready to buy today...

Ken

* These are lifetime favorites. Since I was a teenager. I'm now nearing retirement...

Yes, Plus-X my fav by a long shot. So happy I have a nice stock of 120 and bulk 35mm in my freezer.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

I think that you will find that Harman's execs/directors had all been with the old Ilford company, and were well experienced in their respective fields.

This would appear to be the case, given the eventually successful outcome. And the fact that my darkroom is now full of Ilford-branded products.

I always had the feeling with Kodak that a decision was taken to transition to digital technologies. So they started building a bridge from the analog to the digital side of the river. Then, for each two planks Perez had them tear up behind them, he had them lay down one plank in front of them...

It does indeed boil down to executive leadership.

Ken

 

[Ian Grant]

That is an interesting link to the BJP, but I wonder if the statement at the beginning of paragraph six, "Kodak also expects the deal will enable Kodak's film business to strive." is a real howler or if it is what the author really means.

Cheers,
Clarence

Strive is an apt word as it means to compete You might be misinterpreting its meaning.

The most important part is the new company will have backing from those that support it rather than a CEO and board who just milked it and squandered the profits.

Ian

 

[John Bragg]

Let's hope this is the beginning of a great future for Kodak film. Time to buy another brick of Tri-X and go out and shoot plenty.

 

[pbromaghin]

Strive is an apt word as it means to compete You might be misinterpreting its meaning.

The most important part is the new company will have backing from those that support it rather than a CEO and board who just milked it and squandered the profits.

Ian

You hit the nail square on the head with this one. This will be the difference between thriving and dying.

 

[PKM-25]

I have to say I am getting rather excited at what might now be possible in marketing Kodak films. My gut instinct is that this is a good thing....

 

[Rafal Lukawiecki]

I also want to extend a *big* thank you for Kodak continuing in these transitional times to be a sponsor of John Sexton Photography Workshops. I got to participate in "The Expressive Print" workshop that concluded just over a week ago. John's dedication, talent and enthusiasm proved to be one of the best experiences in my 23 year career as a photographer as I watched him print masterfully seen, shot and developed Tmax films onto silver gelatin papers.

I'd like to second that. I had the pleasure of attending John's other workshop, the "Fine Tuning" one, three weeks ago, and I would also like to thank Kodak for sponsoring it. I have mailed a thank you letter to Rochester, but PKM-25's idea of sharing this with you, Coleen, and with others, is a fine one. Thanks for sharing the Kodak news here.

 

[hoffy]

Another great way to show support is to buy film

I believe we have the post of the year, right here! Sean, I think you can lock the forum as nothing else really matters!

Obviously, considering where it was all at 12 months ago, this can only be good news.

 

[benjiboy]

Kodak are re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic again

 

[wblynch]

Kodak are re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic again

More like they moved the chairs to the Lusitania.

 

[pbromaghin]

They have taken the business out from under a management structure that was actively trying to kill it and given it new ownership that has a vital interest in its continued viability. It no longer has to support the rotting carcass of an organization that thinks it still belongs in the Dow index. They have removed all the burden of debt and past mistakes. Marketing and Sales professionalism can go a long way to turning a business around and building success. They have a lot of hard work ahead of them, but I am very encouraged that the "right sized" organization for the niche market will finally be able to create itself out of the disaster that it was.